18 Answers

“We are often asked whether or not female cats can still be spayed even if they are in the middle of a heat cycle. While most vets prefer to perform the surgery in cats not currently in heat, most surgeons will still spay a female kitten or cat when in heat. There is often a small additional charge for this, as there is more time and attention needed during the surgery due to the increased blood supply to the uterus during a heat cycle. But, spaying a kitten or cat in heat is far better than waiting and perhaps having other serious consequences to the feline occur, such as unwanted pregnancy, disease or illness contracted from other cats she may be seeking to mate with. ”

Your cat will continue to go into heat every 3–6 months until you have her spayed. Please do not let your cat out during this time (or ever, now that you have stripped her of her defenses). Thousands and thousands of unwanted cats are euthanized each year because of ignorance and stupidity. Don’t let this be you.

Having lived with a cat that my step-mom wouldn’t spay, I highly recommend that you nip this in the bud and get her fixed. Think of having this experience every few months. The nonstop meowing and yowling and weirdness will drive you insane, trust me. You will probably even become tempted to just put her outside so she’d get some and shut up.. but that would be an especially bad idea in this case, because she’s declawed.

So just ride it out and try to find a place in your area that offers low-cost spays. :)

I feel your pain! Went through that with my cat once. Didn’t get any sleep for 2–3 days….until I’d been to the vet to get some pills for her.

One thing I found slowed her down for a little while, was a cold shower! It kept her busy drying and cleaning herself for better part of an hour – then she went back to storming from one room to another, jumping up in the window to meow at the male cats, etc.

This is going to become a neverending nightmare for you until you get her spayed. Some female cats seem to stay in heat, and this can drive both you and her right up the wall. I had the same proble with a female cat I had years ago. My wasband was disabled, so we didn’t have the money to take her to the vet. It seemed like less than a week after one cycle ended, she would start all over again. do both yourself and your cat a favor, and get her spayed ASAP.

I’m sorry to hear that! That’s horrible! You should consider getting her claw-reconstructive surgery. Even though cats hide it very well, having no claws actually makes them quite depressed. She is never really comfortable because she can’t even stretch out the way she used to with claws! There is now a veterinary procedure that allows prosthetic bones and claws to be created for your cat if they had the unfortunate procedure of declawing.

@bulbatron9: I find it extremely upsetting that you feel this way. It may appear you you that your cat “stretches out just fine,” but it does not feel the same way for their bodies. I hope you realize that declawing involves amputation of the first joint in each “finger.” How would you like it if the first joints in all of your fingers and toes were amputated?

People like you need to realize that there are alternatives to this cruel practice of declawing. (Declawing is, in fact, so inhumane that it is illegal almost everywhere except the United States, and even in the US, there are many veterinarians who refuse to perform this procedure, despite the loss in profits.) You have a newborn baby, and of course you do not want your baby scratched, but there are many alternatives to declawing that can prevent scratching, such as Soft Paws. My cat wears them, and they work great! They are basically plastic caps that are glued over each claw to prevent scratching. Using Soft Paws keeps both your cat and your baby/furniture happy.

If you’d take such an extreme measure to declaw your cat to prevent harm to something else without caring about the effect of declawing on your cat, you shouldn’t own a cat.

I am offended that you consider claw-reconstructive surgery to be “the dumbest idea [you] have heard in awhile.” Veterinarians who care about the well-being of animals who have suffered through the tragedy of declaw have worked very hard to design this innovative procedure that allows cats to once again experience the joy of having all the bones and nails they should.

phhfft! Let’s just put kitty through yet another painful and unnecessary procedure! I don’t agree with declawing either, but what’s done is done. Leave the poor thing alone!
You think kitty is depressed now? Just wait till she has to go through all that pain again.

cats don’t hide their emotions. I’m not really sure what void of space you got that from, but cats are notorious for NOT hiding emotions. Cats don’t have the same thought processes as humans. They do what they want, when they want, and they certainly let you know how they feel.

I agree with Bulbatron: if the cat’s already been through the trauma of being declawed, why put it through another procedure? My parents declawed one of our cats when I was growing up, and it is doing well and has no behavioral problems right into its old age. Of course, they know better now and would never do it again but what’s done is done.

I have had cats and litters for most of my 62 years and I agree with everyone, you need to get her spayed a.s.a.p., and for heavens sake don’t do any more surgery on that declawed kitten. I’ve had many surgeries and the pain can be unimaginable! Don’t do it!

You claim to be a cat lover, yet you would put a cat through claw reconstructive surgery. Give me a break. The cat will be just fine without the claws with an owner concerned enough with their cat to post a question about spaying.